Country Star Blake Shelton's Homophobic Tweet

They say you can tell someone's true character by the way they tweet. Blake Shelton, country music star and judge on NBC's latest singing competition show The Voice tweeted a homophobic parody of Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine" Wednesday night:

In response, Shelton tweeted several textbook half-assed apologies, saying "honestly it wasn't mean that way" and "when it comes to gay/lesbian rights or just feelings... I love everybody. So go look for a real villain and leave me out of it!!!" In his most heartfelt of the tweets, Shelton writes:

So the misunderstanding here is that he's *totally cool with gays* despite the tweet? Someone needs a lesson in intent vs. impact. It'll be interesting to see how the show's producers handle this one!

Leave a comment

We want to know your opinion on this issue! While arguing about an opinion or idea is encouraged, personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please be respectful of others.

The editorial team will delete a comment that is off-topic, abusive, exceptionally incoherent, includes a slur or is soliciting and/or advertising. Repeated violations of the policy will result in revocation of your user account. Please keep in mind that this is our online home; ill-mannered house guests will be shown the door.

Hate is intentional. If you do not believe your own words then why are they worth writing? I'd sooner believe in honesty at least then we could learn from one another. To censor ones self just to placate is not honesty.

I don't know -- just because a guy is cool about other guys being gay does not mean that his own "behind" is fair game. If he wants guys to keep their hands off, it's his behind and he has that right.

OTOH, Blake Shelton is one of the musical "coaches" on "The Voice" and I am pretty sure that he picked a contestant that was very openly gay -- so if he is indeed homophobic, he's got a bit of an education ahead of him -- not that I would expect this contestant to make a pass at Shelton's rear end, but it will be in his interest to coach and support this very openly gay team member.

Oh, Blake! Whatever were you thinking?! No gay man is trying to touch your firm, round mounds of Country joy. You're not fantasizing are you??

But seriously, it's just plain sad that the non-apology apology has remained so stubbornly in place. And his fans aren't stupid - including his gay ones - who are reading between the lines of that condescending nonsense and taking away the message that gay men are somehow less worthy of real apology.

Even so, I think we ought to move on -- yes, it was a gaff, but obviously Blake Shelton is not going on some anti-gay campaign like NOM and Focus on Family are doing. Let's spend our limited energies on counter-messaging the real homophobes.